Uki Uki mini 10

August 11, 2016
past event image
Language Lesson past event

Q1 from Ramiro Sotto: What does ~てしまう(…te shimau) mean?

~てしまう consists of the てform of a verb and しまう. It expresses regret.

今朝、寝坊で遅刻してしまって、すみません。(Kesa, nebou de chikoku shite shimatte, sumimasen.) I’m sorry I overslept and was late this morning.

大雪でフライトがキャンセルされてしまいました。(Ooyuki de furaito ga kyanseru sarete shimaimashita.) Due to heavy snow, my flight unfortunately got cancelled.

In casual speech, てしまう changes to ちゃう.

お腹が空いてたから、ルームメートのサンドイッチを食べちゃった。(Onaka ga suiteta kara, ruumumeeto no sandoicchi o tabechatta.) I’m afraid I ate my roommate’s sandwich because I was starving.

これ、誰のペンか知らないけど、ちょっとだけ借りちゃおう。(Kore, dare no pen ka shiranai kedo, chotto dake karichaou.) I don’t know whose pen this is, but I’ll borrow it just for a second (although I feel bad about it).

Q2 from joaohks: How do you use ~じゃん(…jan) at the end of sentences?

This じゃん ending is casual, and it’s commonly used in Tokyo metoropolitan area. It attaches to the plain form of a word, and it means something like "isn’t it?" "Right?" "You know?"

へ~、Pokémon Go, 面白いじゃん!(Hee, Pokémon Go, omoshiroi jan!) Wow, Pokemon Go is quite interesting, huh?
なんだ、よくわかってんじゃん。(Nanda, yoku wakatten jan.) I’m surprised. You totatally get it, don’t you?
夕方頃になると、お腹すくじゃん? (Yuugata goro ni naruto, onaka suku jan?) You know how you get hungry around the evening?

If you’re in Tokyo, you may hear this じゃん among young people.

Q3 from Ace Rivera: What’s the difference among ~ような(…youna)、~ように(…youni)、~ようにする(…youni suru)、~ようになる(…youni naru)?

This よう is somewhat similar to "like,” in that it gives an example, e.g. a man like a wolf, a character like Pikachu, etc.

ような is followed by a noun or a noun phrase.
狼のような男 (ookami no youna otoko) a man like a wolf
ピカチューのようなキャラクター (pikachuu no youna kyarakutaa) a character like pikachuu

ように is placed before an adjective or verb.
田村さんは、料理がプロのように上手です。(Tamura-san wa, ryouri ga puro no youni jouzu desu.) Ms. Tamura is great at cooking like a pro.
従兄弟はネコのように寝てばかりいます。(Itoko wa neko no youni nete bakari imasu.) My cousin has been sleeping all day like a cat.
父のように強く、母のように優しい人になりたい。(Chichi no youni tsuyoku, hana no youni yasashii hito ni naritai.) I want to be someone strong like my father, and kind like my mother.

In casual speech, ような is often replaced with みたいな, and ように is みたいに.

ドラえもんみたいな友達が好きです。(Doraemon mitaina tomodachi ga suki desu.) I want a friend like Doraemon.
今私が書いてるみたいにやってごらん。(Ima watashi ga kaiteru mitai ni, yatte goran.) Try writing like I’m doing now.

A related expression, ~ようにする, means that you try, or make sure to do something.

毎日、2キロ歩くようにしています。(Mainichi, nikiro aruku youni shite imasu.) I try to walk 2km every day.
もっと水を飲むようにしてください。(Motto mizu o nomu youni shite kudasai.) Please makes sure to drink more water.

Lastly, ~ようになる is often paired with the potential form, and it means to become able to do something. It expresses the change in your ability.

子供の時はブロッコリーが嫌いだっただけど、今は食べられるようになった。(Kodomo no koro wa burokkorii ga kirai datta kedo, ima wa taberareru youni natta.) I hated broccoli when I was a child, but I’ve become able to eat it since.

去年まで泳げなかったけど、たくさん練習して泳げるようになった。(Kyonen made oyogenakatta kedo, takusan renshuu shite oyogeru youni natta.) I couldn’t swim till last year, but after much practice, I acquired the ability to swim.

最近やっと、漢字が少し読み書きできるようになりました。(Saikin yatto, kanji ga sukoshi yomikaki dekiru youni narimashita.) Recently, I’ve finally learned how to read and write Kanji a little.

早く日本語で話せるようになりたいです。(Hayaku nihongo de hanaseru youni naritai desu.) I want to be able to speak Japanese very soon.

Q4 from Lilith-san: How do you use an adjective and noun together?

When an adjective is directly followed by a noun, that’s what we call an adjective + noun combo. It is the same word order as in English.

Tom is funny. トムさんは面白いです。(Tomu-san wa omoshiroi desu.)
Tom is a funny person. トムさんは面白い人です。(Tomu-san wa omoshiroi hito desu.)

Prada is expensive. プラダは高いです。(Purada wa takai desu.)
Prada is an expensive store. プラダは高い店です。(Purada wa takai mise desu.)

When it comes to the Adjective + noun combo, it matters whether you’re using an いadjective or a なadjective. Please refer to Uki Uki Lesson 30 for detailed explanation on adjective groups.

NYは賑やかです。 (Nyuuyooku wa nigiyaka desu.) New York is lively.
NYは賑やかな街です。(Nyuuyooku wa nigiyakana machi desu.) New York is a lively city.

図書館は静かです。(Toshokan wa shizuka desu.) The library is quiet.
図書館は静かな所です。(Toshokan wa shizukana tokoro desu.) The library is a quiet place.

  • August 11, 2016 – August 11, 2016